


He's Not Me

by TheUnluckyFox



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: AU, Bullying, Domino High School, F/M, How Do I Tag, I'm Sorry, Mental Instability, My First Work in This Fandom, Psychological Horror, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Yu-Gi-Oh Season Zero, the kids aren't alright
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2019-11-08 12:06:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17981012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUnluckyFox/pseuds/TheUnluckyFox
Summary: Sometimes all we need is a friend.





	1. Chapter 1

The melodious bells of Domino High School rang through the courtyard full of students, signaling the impending start of the first class. What possibly was intended to be a pleasant sound to the young scholars proved to be nothing more than an annoyance to them as they begrudgingly made their way inside. Nothing was amiss, it seemed, just a regular brisk Friday morning. The cool air clung to all who entered the building, reaching through the jacketed clusters of teenagers like invisible snakes through grass. The cold could not last here; the close proximity of warm bodies prevented its conquest.

Among the crowd, a very noticeable blend of red, black, and blonde hair could be spotted within. Yugi Mutou weaved effortlessly through the horde of sleepy students, hoping to slip by to his homeroom class. He could hear whispers among several groups as he passed them. Normally, Yugi would ignore their idle chatter, usually uninterested in untrue rumors that have spread in that particular week. This latest gossip, however, had him nearly stopping dead in the middle of the hall.

"Have you heard about Haru, Isoka, and Tatsu?"

"Yeah, they're missing, aren't they?"

Yugi paused momentarily, recognition flashing across his pale face and widened eyes. He did not remain long, carrying on with even more urgency in his steps. By some miracle, the small teen made it to class before the others, and he quickly took his seat in the very back.

It was not much later when the first wave if students began pouring in. Giggles and more whispering shattered the once tranquil silence of the room, although it was nothing unusual with this particular group of students. Daring to look up from the text book he had laid out, violet eyes landed on a demure girl as she sat in a desk toward the front.

Her long blond hair was tied into a low ponytail to keep it out of her face; Yugi could tell that her locks were well cared for by the way it glimmered in the early morning sun. Her cerulean eyes held an immense sadness in them, not unlike his own. The thought of approaching her had crossed his mind more than once ever since the school year began, hoping to find someone to gravitate towards. Birds of a feather, you could say. However, once rumors of who she associates herself with was passed through the school, Yugi dismissed the idea entirely.

_Samara Kaeri... I wonder if she regrets moving here._

A few other students trudged inside, one in particular Yugi recognized as Katsuya Jounouchi. He walked with his hands in his pockets, grinning when a few classmates greeted him. He took a seat in the desk to Yugi's left, leaning back and yawning obnoxiously. The smaller averted his gaze when Jounouchi's honey brown eyes looked his way.

Finally, one last student waltzed into the classroom, her presence silencing those who had been chatting. Not only was she a new face to the class, she sported the ever familiar blue blazer and pants despite being clearly female. Her golden yellow eyes scanned the room as she entered, the stares of the other students not going unnoticed. She did not say anything, instead remaining awkwardly by the board as she waited to be assigned to a seat.

Yugi was curious if this new face, even more so of her choice of clothes. He had never heard of female students wearing anything but the standard girls uniform. Perhaps she had gotten special permission from the school?

Regardless, he looked back down when her eyes found him.

It was at that moment when the teacher, Mr. Nakamura, arrived, each student immediately getting to their feet to greet him. Once the daily routine concluded they took their seats once again, the instructor jumping right into standard procedure.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm sure you all have noticed that we have a new student today." If it were not for the many pairs of eyes staring back at him, Mr. Nakamura would have sworn that his entire class was asleep. He sighed quietly, having expected a bit more of a reaction than this. With a nod from the teacher, the new student in question spoke.

"My name's Oren Maeda, I just transferred from Yoruhoshi across the city. It's nice to meet you all," she said with a bow, her voice as clear and confident as a summer stream. She received an unenthusiastic murmur in response, but she did not seem to mind.

"Very good. Please take your seat, third row, fourth desk."

Oren nodded at the teacher in confirmation before making her way to the only empty desk in the specified row. She passed a familiar face with blonde hair; she gave her a passing smile as she moved on. The next seat was occupied by a young man with the most sour expression she has ever seen. His hardened cobalt eyes followed her as she walked by him, fairly quickly, she admitted to herself.

The student that would be sitting behind her was a girl with shoulder length brown hair and inviting blue eyes. She offered a friendly smile which Oren returned as she took her seat at last. If she _had_ to sit behind the boy with the scary eyes, at least the girl behind her could offer some sort of relief. The student in the final seat, she noted, stood out over all of them. His gravity defying multicolored hair had caught her attention ever since she had walked in, the style of it intriguing her. He avoided eye contact not too long after he noticed her looking at him, which indicated to Oren that he must be the shy type.

"I'll begin with this, and I'm sure you all have heard, but three students have gone missing last night. If you have any information, I implore you to contact the authorities."

This seemed to wake the class up as a myriad of chatter erupted between them before the teacher could even finish. For Oren, this was the first she has heard this news, but that came as no surprise to her. Looking around, she noticed two empty seats in the neighboring rows. Were they the desks belonging to the missing students?

"Ha! If I had to guess, I bet it was Yugi!" cried one student from somewhere up front. A wave of laughter followed.

"Nah, have you seen his size? There's no way he took on three guys and won!" shouted another, this time to the left of the class. More laughter ensued, which left Oren baffled. Looking around, her eyes found the boy in the last seat, his eyes locked onto the textbook on his desk. From how tightly he was gripping the sides of his book, Oren guessed that he was the target of the students' teasing.

_So his name is Yugi..._

"Ease up, guys. Now isn't the time for that," called Jounouchi to the two students who spoke, his eyes narrowed in their general direction. He heard them mumble something before falling quiet, feeling slighted at having been called out. Yugi gave what looked to be a thankful glance in the scruffy-looking blonde's direction, but the taller student did not notice it. At the corner of her eye, Oren saw the student in the seat behind her shift uncomfortably, clearly having something to say. The transfer student turned her attention to her, a questioning look easy to spot on her face.

"I didn't exactly enjoy having Haru sitting in front of me, but I never imagined it would be like this," the brunette remarked, concern easy to see in her expression. Oren could not help the surprise that surfaced, her eyes narrowing a bit in suspicion.

"So I got one of their desks? The school sure recovered pretty fast." The other girl could only shrug, sympathy flashing across her pretty visage.

"I guess the timing was just right?"

"Maybe so. Geez, time waits for no man, eh?" In spite of herself, the brunette laughed a bit.

"I guess not."

"Alright class, settle down," Mr. Nakamura called out dismissively, successfully quieting the noise. He proceeded the lecture as normal, and the students fell into hibernation once again.

Oren's first day at Domino High went by fairy quickly, much to her delight. She quickly discovered that some students think of her choice of attire was one worthy of poking fun at. She sort of anticipated as much, but not the extent that she had received. Opting to just shrug the matter off for now and move on, the redhead shoved her hands deep in her pockets and sauntered toward the front doors. A head of striking blonde caught her eye, bringing a smile to Oren's face. She maneuvered through the crowd of students toward the other female, nearly losing her among them.

"Samara!"

The named teen stood to attention then, her eyes scanning the horde of exhausted scholars until landing on a mane of red. Recognition brought a small glimmer into those orbs of blue, meeting up with Oren off to the side of the hall. 

"I figured you had somehow left already," Samara stated jovially, her smile never leaving. Oren stood with her hands on her hips, striking a heroic pose.

"I couldn't leave a helpless citizen behind!"

"Good. I could use the company," Samara said, the tiniest bit of mirth forming in her eyes. After gearing up for the walk home, the smaller girl stepped through the double doors leading outside. Oren strolled beside her, a genuine look of happiness on her face. The two had known each other since their preteen years, and up until Samara had transferred to Domino High a year prior, the two were inseparable.

"How's this school been holding up for you?" Oren's question hung in the air for quite some time, the shorter of the two unable to formulate an adequate response. Seeing this, Oren tentatively decided to continue, a cheeky grin pulling through her expression. "'Cause it seems like there's a lot of buttheads here."

"You don't know the half of it."

"That bad, huh?" The redhead rubbed her chin in thought, recalling all of the students in their class alone that had spoke out against the kid named Yugi, their insults unprovoked and completely out of the blue. The same could be said of the girls in the cafeteria who tried tripping her, having reacted just in time to avoid certain humiliation. Then there was the young man with the lifeless cobalt eyes who sat right in front of her; the memory sent a chill down her spine.

"I want to say that I'm glad you're here," Samara began, her gaze staring intently ahead as they crossed a street, focused and intense. Oren glanced at her friend, seeing the unwavering look in her eyes. "But I think you should've stayed at Yoruhoshi."

"If you feel that way, then I'm glad I came," responded Oren with a determined look of her own. When Samara turned her surprised stare to her, the amber-eyed teen offered a small smile. "You need all the positivity you can get. I know I would."

Samara's gaze faltered and she looked ahead once again, contemplating on what was told to her. While what Oren said was true, could things really improve so drastically? It would be difficult, but just as she had in years past, Samara trusted her enthusiastic friend. After what felt like a lifetime, Oren saw that the other girl seemed to accept her words and smiled hesitantly back.

"I suppose you're right."

"Ha! As always," Oren joked, performing a dramatic flip of her short locks of crimson. A chuckle and a playful shove from Samara was her reply, their conversation ending on a thankfully more positive note.


	2. Chapter 2

Yugi was not surprised to see several police cars parked outside the school as he left for the day. Allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, the small teen made his way carefully to the scene, taking extra care in remaining unnoticed by the officers and the teacher they were talking to. He felt himself grimace as he spotted Mrs. Chono as the teacher in question.

The instructors at Domino High were known to be a bit strict, but Mrs. Chono takes the cake in that department. In spite of her pretty face, every student does well in both keeping their distance and on her good side. 

_Except the ones that don't._

"I assure you, sir. Every boy was accounted for on the day of the disappearance. As far as I'm aware, they all left on time also." Yugi could hear Mrs. Chono's sweet sounded voice even from his hidden position behind a pillar. His hands found the golden pyramid shaped pendant hanging from a simple rope around his neck; he gripped it seemingly as a method of comfort.

 _I remember them at school too. They tried to take my puzzle._ One of his fingers absently traced the outline of the Eye of Horus at the front of the pendant, the smooth curves inciting the tiniest hints of discomposure in him. Large amethyst eyes darkened as a glare slid into his expression, his entire body going rigid as he locked himself into a memory. Teasing, taunting words blended together into a deafening cacophony of noise, the voices of all of his tormentors drowning out the world around him. Yugi's vision swam, suddenly feeling faint. He only regained his senses as the voice of one of the officers cut through his delirium, his tone commanding yet affirmative.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Ma'am. We'll be taking our leave."

"Of course. Good luck in the case. Such a shame that this tragedy befalls our great school." Rolling his eyes, Yugi removed himself from their interaction to begin his long walk home. 

Before he could exit the student parking lot, he would have to get past a group of leering students. Treading cautiously, the smaller teen maneuvered his way around them. They did not make any moves against him, but that did not stop their cutting words.

"I heard he knocked them out and dumped their bodies in the river."

"That's not what I heard. Rumors say he poisoned his own lunch and gave it to them." Yugi visibly winced, having no choice but to listen to their obvious banter and wait for the green light on the crosswalk. They proved to be the longest five minutes of his life.

"He's certainly weird enough. He'd probably do that if given the chance."

"To three bigger guys though? He doesn't have the guts _or_ the strength to do that." Yugi held onto his pendant once again, gripping it tight enough to turn his knuckles white. More whispers reached his ears, but he could no longer decipher the words as his anger steadily began to rise. As the hushed tones grew louder and louder, Yugi could have sworn that his puzzle had gotten warm to the touch. A headache was beginning to bloom near the base of his skull, the pain dull but familiar. He had felt this way once before, when...

The light turned green, and the voices stopped.

Yugi hurried across the walkway with much more urgency than what was needed, anything to get away from the students' hurtful remarks and rueful stares. He wanted nothing more than to deny their baseless accusations, to tell them that he was not responsible for the trio's disappearance. However, Yugi knew it would do him no good in the end. In fact, things may even get worse if he spoke up. In his current social situation, that was the last thing he needed.

He was nearly home, just three mere blocks away. His small legs increased their pace, eventually evolving into a jog in his haste to enter his only safe haven. Ignoring the burning in his legs, the small scholar steeled his focus ahead, his destination the only thing on his mind.

A leg outstretched from an alleyway directly in front of Yugi, giving him no time to react. He inevitably tripped on the offending limb and crashed hard onto the concrete, feeling his palms scrape against the unyielding ground. Piercing laughter from several sources was the next thing Yugi had to endure as four teenagers from a high school he did not recognize emerged from their hiding place in the alley, their sneers igniting fear in him. 

"Well, well. Look who it is. Public enemy number one!"

The smaller teen shivered. He may not know what school they go to, but he surely knows the ugly mug of their self-proclaimed leader. Yugi remained on the ground, every ounce of his body frozen as terror settled in. Large eyes looked pleadingly at the brute of a teenager, his efforts futile.

Grinning, the brute landed a threatening punch into the palm of his other hand with a resounding _smack_. The others closed in on him, each step sending an icy wave of dread through Yugi. He braced himself and prepared for the worst, tightly shutting his eyes.

. . .

Morning came too quickly for Oren's liking, her alarm blaring irritatingly through the once tranquil silence of her room. Groaning exasperatingly, the amber eyed teen slowly roused from her slumber. Unsurprisingly, her vision focused on the red numbers of her clock, reading six twenty four a.m..

"Ugh, morning already? I just went to sleep!"

Concluding that there was no use in arguing with time itself, Oren gave in and removed herself from her warm sheets. Yawning loudly, she began the process of getting ready for the day ahead.

She and Samara had chatted on a messenger program on the computer for several hours after they had each arrived home, catching up on what they missed for the past year. They had gotten so wrapped up in their conversation that midnight had already come and gone. Oren was no paying for this mistake, and she was sure Samara was feeling it too.

Once dressed, Oren sauntered into the kitchen for a quick breakfast, just as she always does. Silently justifying toast as a suitable meal, the high school student stuffed the crispy slice of bread in her mouth before slipping on her shoes and rushing out the door.

The school was not exactly close to where she lived, but Oren calculated that she could make it on time if she jogged there. She was not keen on this plan, but tardiness was never excusable. Taking in a deep breath, she took off in a full-on sprint down the street.

_Screw it. My legs will just have to deal with it!_

Oren certainly arrived on time, but only just barely. The first bell rang harmoniously into the crisp morning air, signalling the start of another day. She was still short of breath from her impromptu marathon, but she hoped she could hide it well enough.

The redhead's next challenge was finding her locker, as she did not use it the previous day. Students still half asleep meandered around her, moving like a horde of zombies. There would be no help coming from them in this state. Telling herself to just take the plunge and ask, she turned to the first student she saw.

"Hey, do you know---" she began, but a gasp ripped through her words as she saw Yugi in his entirety.

His face sported multiple bruises both covered sloppily with bandages or exposed. From what she could see of his hands, they too were bandaged around his palms. The sight of his injuries was a shock to her; she was surprised that he was even attending class with them.

There must have been a look on her face that expressed something different to the boy as a saddened glint flickered in his eyes. He took his leave without a word before Oren could explain herself, his small form vanishing into the crowd.

"Wait!"

Seeing that he was already gone, the redhead covered her face with her hand and slowly dragged it down. She mentally kicked herself at her horrible display of manners and had every intention of apologizing to him later. Giving up on the locker for now, Oren gathered her wits and hurried to her first class.

When she arrived, Yugi and several other students were already sitting in their desks. She noted immediately that the desk in front of hers was empty, much to her relief. Sighing softly, the new scholar made her way to her own seat and occupied it. The girl who sat between her and Yugi gave an inviting smile to Oren as she settled in, textbook at the ready.

"Good morning, Maeda."

"Oh hey, good morning. Your name is... Mazaki, right?" Oren greeted back, her response earning an affirmative nod from the other girl. Her expressive azure eyes always seemed to look upon Oren with boundless curiosity, so much so that even the redhead picked up on it. Still feeling down about the situation before but still hopeful for a good day, she decided to humor her desk neighbor. "We have a few minutes before class. Did you want to ask me anything?"

This appeared to brighten Mazaki's face even more than it was before, and she replied with a very enthusiastic yes. Unnoticed by both girls, Yugi also regarded Oren with a small degree of interest.

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Sorry for the obvious question, but why aren't you wearing the girl's uniform?" This was most definitely a question she was expecting, but because of Mazaki's open mindedness about it, Oren was more than happy to answer.

"I'm not really comfortable in girl's uniforms. I contacted the school about it beforehand, as well as my job, and after some convincing they agreed." Mazaki was surprised to learn of the other student's employment as well, knowing the policy on part time jobs the school has in place. She wondered if she could implore the staff about about getting a job of her own.

 _It never hurts to try_ , Mazaki told herself.

Out of the blue, the door to the class slid open with great force, revealing Jounouchi as the culprit. He casually strolled inside, hands in his pockets as he made his way over to his desk. His antics incited several chuckles from a few of his classmates, although he seemed to largely ignore it.

"Ah, Jounouchi. Late again, I see." Mr. Nakamura's voice carried into the room before he did himself. The named teen hardly reacted, taking his seat with a look of complete nonchalance. This did not seem to bother Mr. Nakamura as he too sat down at his desk. He idly scratched at his beard, flipping through a few pages. "I'll let it slide today, but please be mindful of your attendance."

"Yes sir, Teach."

"Hey Mr. Nakamura, did they find the missing students yet?" The question came from somewhere at the front of the class, sparking a whole slew of other questions pertaining to the recent mystery. Mr. Nakamura silenced them so that he could answer the first inquiry.

"There hasn't been any updates on the case. So you must be vigilant while you go to and from school. Use the buddy system." A hush fell over the class at this news, some students looking to each other in silent surprise. Their teacher's continued statement brought the scholars' attention back to him. "Again, if any of you have any information, please contact the police."

Oren could not help the frown that formed on her face. If not even the police could catch the one responsible for the crime, then she would be sure to be extra careful when she goes home. But first things first, she had something to take care of.

A few hours had passed, nearing lunchtime. Oren had been looking for Yugi since class let out, but cannot seem to locate the injured boy. She did catch up with Samara, however, and enlisted her for help.

"Yugi? Why do you want to find him?" Oren could not quite tell if her question was legitimate or if she were being sardonic. Regardless, the redhead answered her all the same.

"I accidentally made him feel bad and I wanted to apologize. You've been here longer so I had hoped you'd know where he likes to go."

Samara considered Oren's explanation for a moment, a thoughtful expression displayed upon her face. She had never paid much mind to the boy with unusual hair, but she does recall some places she had noticed him going to in the past.

"I remember seeing him go to the library during this hour. Maybe you can find him there."

"That makes sense. Thanks, Samara! I shouldn't be long," Oren said brightly, turning on her heel and practically sprinting down the hall toward the library. Samara watched her go, every bit as curious of Oren's predicament as the next kid would be. However, she knew it was rude to insert oneself in on a conversation uninvited, so the blonde opted to staying behind and waiting for her friend.

She, of all people, knew of private matters all too well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another chapter. 
> 
> Thank you for stopping by!


	3. Chapter 3

The high school's library was very much an impressive space, the shelves spanning back quite a ways. They were greatly imposing as well, able to hide a large group of people easily behind just one. Knowing that she has her work cut out for her in this massive sea of literature, Oren began her search down each aisle.

As she neared the end, the thought of Yugi not being there after all began to cross her mind. However, just as she was about to end her search, Oren spotted him sitting in the very back corner. He was currently invested in a book, although the redhead could not make out the title from where she stood. Not wanting to scare him, Oren lightly tapped the shelf that was closest to her.

Yugi did jump a bit at the sound, but most of his surprise came in the form of Oren herself. He held a questioning look, one the female noticed right away, encouraging her to explain her motives.

"Sorry to interrupt you, but I needed to find you again." The purple bruises stood out strikingly against his pale skin, even from their respectable distance from each other. When Yugi did not say anything, Oren hesitantly continued. "I'm sorry for staring at you earlier, that was rude of me. I was just surprised. Can I ask what happened?"

Yugi tilted his head in confusion. He could not fathom why this new student would go out of her way just to apologize to him; it was not like he wasn't used to being stared at. Instead, she chose to seek him out and speak to him, something that Yugi could not comprehend.

"You... don't have to apologize." The softness of his voice melted Oren's heart into mush.

_Why would anyone hurt you?_

"No, I totally do. I was not expecting it, that's all." Oren took a step closer to prove her point. Yugi could see the genuine concern on her face; he gulped, but she did not seem to notice it. "Do you need to see the nurse? I don't mind walking you there."

"N-no! No, I'm okay." Oren drew back at his outburst, and Yugi inwardly cursed at himself for startling her.

"Okay. Well, I hope you feel better." The smaller teen nodded slightly in confirmation, his eyes finding the floor. He heard her retreating footsteps, and the weight of what had just happened dropped on him like a collapsing skyscraper.

 _A girl actually spoke to me._ He felt his stinging cheeks begin to warm up at this realization, provoking him into bringing a hand up to lightly touch his now burning skin. His widened mauve eyes stared at the shelves packed with books, his whole world coming to a stop. 

The smallest of smiles appeared on his bruised face.

. . .

The final bell rang at last through the halls, bringing an end to another day. Hundreds of excited students burst from their classrooms, filling the corridors within seconds. Among them was Oren, hardly able to contain her own enthusiasm for the upcoming free day. She wove through the shouting and gesturing teens like a snake through the grass, soon coming upon the front doors.

She did not see Samara anywhere after a quick look around, and assumed she had left already, so the redhead would be taking the journey home alone. She was not very keen on this turn of events, but she felt there was no need to feel afraid. The entrance was almost completely empty now, most of the student body now filling the parking lot outside.

Due to the quiet in the halls, Oren could hear the faintest of voices somewhere down the east hall. Allowing her curiosity to consume her reason, the new student followed the source of the sound. There was absolutely no one in the corridor with her, not even a teacher, which only made this impromptu trek all the more unsettling. As she got closer to the room, what was being said became clearer and clearer.

"You gonna make _us_ disappear too?"

"He can't do shit, the little weakling!" A sound of what could have been a fist connecting with flesh followed, a muffled gasp the next noise to reach Oren. She picked up her pace, her heart sinking into her stomach at knowing what she may find.

The fluorescent lights above flickered dangerously before settling back to their previous state. Oren found this odd, but did not have the time to ponder as she shoved open the door.

An entire group of students stood around what Oren easily recognized as Yugi in a crumpled heap on the floor. All eyes turned to look her way as she stepped in.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!"

"Psh. It's the new girl. The one that likes to wear the boy's uniform," one of them remarked, sending a ripple of laughter through the group of bullies as they turned their attention to her. Oren could only stand her ground.

"Step away from him before I show you what this new girl can do."

Yugi watched the exchange with shock in his eyes, his small frame still trembling as fear raged through him. The tormentors, however, only laughed in amusement.

"You don't scare us, girly. If you wanna end up like this freak so badly, we'll kindly oblige!" Oren felt one of her eyes twitch at the name call, but remained where she stood as they approached her. She brought her fists up as she took a defensive stance, preparing herself for the oncoming onslaught.

They would not get too close, however, as one of the light fixtures suddenly fell from the ceiling. It crashed to the floor right in between them, sending thousands of glass and plastic shards everywhere. Understandably spooked by the close call, the group quickly drew back from the carnage.

"What the hell? Why did that fall?!" One of them cried, looking to his group of friends for an explanation. After a moment of chatter, a silky breath of laughter silenced them. All eyes turned to Yugi, who had shakily gotten to his feet.

"What's so funny?" questioned another teen, his eyes narrowed in suspicion at the change in demeanor.

"That was a close one, wasn't it? One more step and... well, I'm sure even you can figure it out." Yugi's voice was smooth and confident, a tone very unlike what Oren had heard from him before. It was indeed Yugi who had spoke, but there was a completely different aura about him, one of deadly assurance that threatened to consume all who dare cross him. This was not the Yugi she had seen since she had arrived to Domino High, but it clearly _was_ Yugi all the same.

"What'd you say, punk? You asking for another beating?" Another teen piped up, inching his way closer to Yugi. In a surprising move, the teen stopped dead in his tracks, visibly spooked by what he sees. He withdrew then, his sudden shift in mood confusing the rest of the group. "No way, let's get the hell out of here!"

Once the apparent leader of their band took his leave, the rest soon followed, leaving Yugi and Oren behind. The injured teen remained rooted to the spot, his expression a blank slate. Unnerved but determined to help Yugi out, Oren pushed herself to act.

"Are you alright?" she ventured to ask as she carefully stepped around the destruction. Yugi remained where he stood, watching her, judging her, seeking out her intentions as she cautiously approached. In spite of herself, Oren reached a shaking hand out to him. "Looks like I'll be taking you to the nurse's office after all, eh?"

Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, the injured boy took her offered hand. Carefully, as if fearing he would break, Oren led Yugi out of the room and down the hall. He was silent for the most part, continuing to study her with intense crimson eyes. Oren appreciated the silence, although she would be lying if she said it did not leave her with an unsettling feeling. As they approached the nurse's office, however, Yugi broke his reticence at last.

"Maeda...?"

"I don't think the nurse is here, but there should be some stuff we can use to patch you up." Oren opened the door, releasing Yugi's hand in doing so. He felt the absence of her hold on him but said nothing on it, choosing instead to follow her inside.

"Maeda, you stopped them." Oren smiled at him before she began fumbling through the various medical supplies on the counter. She heard Yugi shuffle awkwardly closer, although he decided to keep his distance. "Thank you."

"Well, if it weren't for that light falling, things probably would've been different." The redhead did not see the quizzical look on Yugi's face as she completed the preparations. She turned to him with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol in her hand, making sure not to frighten him. "This should help that cut on your lip. Um, may I?"

Yugi inwardly cursed at the blush that took form on his face. He only hoped that Oren had not seen it.

"Yes."

Oren lowered herself to Yugi's eye level, her golden eyed gaze focused as she carefully dabbed at his bottom lip. It stung as he had expected, but that was not what had his heart beating a bit faster.

"You can't seem to catch a break, huh?" Oren's lighthearted remark was enough to bring a small smile onto his previously downcast expression.

"You could say that."

Oren pulled back from him, feeling that the cut on Yugi's lip was adequately taken care of. She readied a new cotton ball and moved on to the cuts on his still-red face. He took this opportunity to study her movements, her determined eyes, and her features. Little did he know, Oren was doing the same.

"Okay, this should hold you over until you get home," said the taller teen with a satisfied nod at her handiwork. Yugi tentatively touched his lip, feeling that the tender flesh had stopped bleeding.

"Thank you... for everything." Yugi wanted to cry, not only because of the situation, but at the boundless kindness shown by his classmate. The tears welled up but did not fall; now was not the time.

"I couldn't just sit by, I had to do something!" Oren motioned with her hands to express her point, a habit that even she noticed about herself. Yugi only watched her, absorbing all he could as if she would disappear at any moment. "I'm actually glad that light fell. I don't think I could've taken 'em all on at once."

Yugi's hands went to his golden pendant almost automatically, taking note of the warmth emitting from it. Oren appeared to take notice of this and smiled brightly.

"Wow, I didn't even see that pyramid you got there. It's pretty."

"It's my treasure. Grandpa gave it to me long ago." He held the pendant out so that she could get a closer look, her matching amber eyes shining with amazement. The Eye of Horus emblazoned on the front of the pendant stared silently back at her; Oren could not explain how, but a sudden invigorating warmth washed over her, as if she were standing near an open flame.

"That's really something," the redhead exclaimed. Yugi allowed another smile to show itself as he let the golden pyramid go, the solid metal coming to a rest back in its place around his neck.

"If you want, I can walk you home. There is a dangerous person still loose out there," offered Yugi with earnest concern, watching as Oren tossed the used cotton balls away and cleaned the area. He went to assist her, but she insisted on tidying up to ease the burden off of him. Once she comprehended her classmate's suggestion, she gave a short laugh before replying.

"That's sweet. I was gonna ask the same thing."


	4. Chapter 4

The journey to Oren's apartment was rather short and spent mostly in silence, but the two did partake in some small talk every now and then. Oren learned of Yugi's love for games of all kinds, which she could appreciate. When the taller of the two mentioned her enthusiasm for video games herself, he seemed to brighten even more.

"Hey uh, if this isn't too bold, maybe... you could show me what video games you like?" Yugi's voice was meek, the octave barely above a whisper. Oren took a moment to decipher what he had said before offering him a small smile.

"I don't mind that."

"Oh! Good, uh... When will you be free?" The smaller's hands were fidgeting noticeably, his nervousness preventing him from meeting Oren's eyes. The redhead considered the question for a minute or so as a spark of recollection suddenly dawned on her.

"The only free day I have is Saturday, but I already made plans with my friend Samara that day. After school I have work, so my social life is pretty much nonexistent," she replied with a sheepish chuckle, the disappointment in Yugi not going unnoticed. She felt bad for the mauve-eyed teenager, but knew it could not be helped. "Sorry about that."

"No, no, it's okay! I understand that jobs are important, but..." Yugi trailed off mid thought, mulling over how to say the rest without coming off as nosy. Oren regarded her classmate with a questioning look, unsure if he would continue or not. Just when she thought that the matter would be dropped, Yugi continued after gathering the nerve. "Why do you need a job in the first place? Don't your parents help you?"

Oren remained quiet after the innocent question was asked, clearly considering on answering him. She knew that it was just a harmless observation and that he meant nothing by it, but the redhead had to muster everything she had to finally open up just a little.

"Let's just say that they're out of the picture."

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry, this is clearly a sensitive subject for you," Yugi replied, withdrawing back in on himself again. He had thought for sure he had ruined what little camaraderie the two shared, but Oren assured him that she was fine and that no harm had been done. Yugi nodded, appearing to accept her response for now.

The apartment complex was well in sight, a nice looking building in every sense of the word. Yugi accompanied Oren all the way to her door, insisting that he would feel better knowing that she made it there. When the taller teenager got her door open, she turned her friendly gaze back to her escort.

"Would you like a drink before you go?"

"I'd love to, but I should get home as soon as possible," Yugi replied, somehow managing the tiniest of smiles back. Oren understood perfectly, and wished him a safe trip home as well as thanked him for accompanying her. By the time Yugi had left the apartments behind, he felt that he was walking on air.

This new, unfamiliar feeling quickly swallowed up every fiber of his being, warming him up more than even his puzzle had ever done. One of his hands found his chest, the quickened pace of his heart reverberating even through his shirt. He considered these new sensations strange, but he liked it all the same.

Locked deep within his thoughts, Yugi almost did not even notice three familiar men step into his path. He stopped with a stifled gasp, quickly coming back down to earth. They chuckled at his reaction, clearly amused at his own expense.

"Aw, does little Yugi have a girlfriend now?" taunted the leader from behind him; Yugi felt ice run down his spine and fire burst in his gut. They had seen where Oren lives, and because of her association with him, they would surely begin their torment on her too.

He could not let that happen.

"She looks alright, but a bit too boyish if you ask me," piped up one of the lackeys, his smug grin all that Yugi could see. He appeared to contemplate something before he continued with a cheeky grin. "I'd give her about a seven."

"Guess there's someone out there for everyone, eh boys?" The group burst into laughter then, ignoring how absolutely still their victim had become. It was like time had outwardly stopped for Yugi, but inside, his mind was racing.

A sudden shove sent his thin frame careening to the unforgiving pavement of the sidewalk, landing hard on his left arm. He had cried out upon impact, but no one was around to hear him. Only these older teenagers were his witnesses, and Yugi was sure that they wanted that even more.

"I think we just might pay your little trick a visit tonight," said the leader coldly, idly cracking his knuckles as the three slowly gained on Yugi. The smaller teen felt it; his puzzle was becoming progressively hotter, and he realized that this was the source of the fire that had formed at his core. He almost could not hear what the leader said next due to his head pounding so loudly. "Not even you will be able to recognize her once we're through."

It was at that moment that Yugi's vision suddenly faded from red to black.

. . .

He awoke to the sound of sirens blaring immediately behind him. Turning stiffly to his right, mauve eyes picked up the flashing red lights as they traveled farther down the street. Once they were out of sight, Yugi slowly turned his gaze ahead of him again.

Seeing the familiar and welcoming 'Kame' sign above him sent waves of both relief and confusion though him. Was he not several blocks away just now? The teen could have sworn he was in the presence of the four street thugs, and they had just threatened harm to his new classmate. How did he get home so fast?

Yugi opened the door to the shop with as much refinement as a zombie; he probably looked no better either. The melodious chime of the bell above the door immediately alerted an elderly man behind the counter, his questioning lilac eyes soon sparking with recognition.

"There you are, Yugi. I was beginning to worry." Yugi remained by the door, staring blankly back at the man. Seeing this odd behavior, the shop owner began to approach him. "What happened? You look like you've seen all the ghosts in the underworld."

"I'm okay, Grandpa. I had walked someone home for safety." The older man hummed in response, silently urging him to continue. He was unfortunately used to his grandson coming home with scrapes and bruises, but this was vastly different. Seeing his grandfather's awaiting gaze, Yugi managed to form an explanation. "I had to go farther out than I usually do. I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

Sugoroku mulled over Yugi's response, eventually deciding to accept it for the time being.

"Alright then, as long as you're okay. Who did you walk home?"

"Her name's Oren, she's new to the school," Yugi began, removing his backpack and setting it down. Sugoroku watched his grandson curiously as he carried on. "She wants to come and play games with me sometime."

"Oh, what wonderful news. She sounds nice, Yugi," the shop owner beamed, already noticing the teenager's mood slowly improving. Yugi nodded, his cheeks lightly dusted with pink as he touched the scabbed over cut on his lip. He recalled her amber eyes so focused on him, so full of concern for him alone. The amethyst eyed teen wanted nothing more than to see that gaze on him again.

Yugi excused himself to his room in a hurry, barely catching his grandfather's promise for dinner soon as he rushed up the stairs. 

Sugoroku watched his grandson disappear into his room, a frown soon appearing on his aged face. Yugi seemed okay enough, but he was sure the sort of treatment he gets from his classmates are starting to take its toll on him; it was certainly doing so to the elder man. 

Just as he was about to saunter into the kitchen, the drama program playing on the television for background noise suddenly changed to a live showing of the news. It caught Sugoroku's attention, opting to gander at it to see what had happened. A field reporter stood in front of the camera, looking directly into it as she began her announcement.

"Only just twenty minutes ago, the bodies of four teenagers were discovered near this back alley," she said, moving aside so that the cameraman could zoom in on the area in question, currently sealed off by police. Several officers were investigating the vicinity for any clues, while some talked amongst themselves as they stood by four mounds covered by white sheets. "The cause of death is currently unknown, but police are working diligently to uncover all that they can."

"Goodness, that's only a few blocks from here," Sugoroku remarked, astonished. He watched for several minutes more, listening to the speculations by reporters of this possibly being the work of the one responsible for the disappearance of three Domino High students. The game shop owner had of course heard of this as well, and worried for Yugi every time he leaves and returns from school.

After listening to all he could, Sugoroku changed the channel and continued into the kitchen to begin dinner at last.

Yugi's room was relatively small but tidy, the glaring afternoon sun shining through the windows and skylight. It cast the space in a fiery orange glow. He removed his school jacket as he walked farther inside, allowing it to fall carelessly to the floor. His destination was his desk, the surface almost bare besides a lamp and a small golden box.

"Is my wish finally coming true?" Yugi's question hung in the air of his otherwise quiet room, his large eyes locked onto the box. A similar eye as his puzzle's stared blankly back at him; Yugi expected as much, but found himself searching it for answers anyway. He was left disappointed with the silence that replied instead, a soft sigh passing through his lips.

Regardless, Yugi was no longer alone, his saving grace coming to him in the form of a new student untainted by the behavior of his other peers. On her own accord, Oren had helped him. He would go as far as to say she even wanted to be his friend. A smile slowly spread onto his pale face, accompanied by tears that stung his eyes.

Yugi felt the pendant resting against his stomach warm up, a hand grasping it almost automatically. Its temperature soon became too hot and Yugi released it with a gasp; even then, the pyramid was like a sweltering metal brand permeating his skin even through his shirt.

As the puzzle had grown hotter, images of students he had caught teasing Oren on her first day flashed through his mind almost too quickly to comprehend. He recalled their names, their faces, and even their class schedule, something that Yugi had not cared to know before.

In response, Yugi removed the puzzle and tossed it onto his bed, shocked to see the gold surface glowing a faint red that quickly dissipated. Nursing the now tender area on his stomach, the confused teenager watched the pendant as if it would suddenly perform another impossible feat.

"Why...? Why did it do that?"

He dared not move, keeping his gaze locked onto the relic. It only sat still on the sheets as if it had not just tried to burn its owner. Yugi remembered his grandfather telling him that the Millennium Puzzle was supposedly an ancient artifact from Egypt, and that it held mysterious powers unfathomable by man. He understood it to mean it could grant wishes; even still, he believed that.

It had never done these things before, and Yugi wondered if it had something to do with his blackouts. Could it be...

"Yugi! Dinner's just about ready!" he heard his grandfather call out from downstairs, snapping Yugi out of his thoughts. 

"Oh, coming Grandpa!"

The young man hurried out of the room then, letting the matter go for now. Left behind, the puzzle lay innocently on the bed, the eye on its front staring at the open door and the hallway beyond it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who still read this, sorry for not posting in so long! I had lost direction for this story for a while, but I think I might've found the spark again.
> 
> Anyways, thanks for all who stop by and give this story a chance!


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